Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

So here we are, back in the hospital. Well at least we were, for a long afternoon and evening Wednesday.

My mum has been feeling unwell for several days and complaining about constant pain in her abdomen. She has very little appetite, has only been eating when I make her, and has lost five pounds. Five pounds is a lot when you only weighed 85 to begin with!

We were hoping for some answers at the doctor’s office. But Dr. G. was concerned enough to send us directly to the Emergency Room. So we waited – bored out of our minds – for results from the various tests and wondering if it was going to be admission for observation or “Here’s a simple solution, now go home!”

I am very grateful for the high level of care that is available here, and for good health insurance. My mother has access to state of the art medical facilities, state of the art physicians, state of the art everything.

But the speed of delivery at the E.R. – and I’m sure that applies to any E.R.. Oh. My. Goodness. Seven tedious hours! During that time she was taken to triage, had blood drawn, gave other samples, had an E.K.G., was rolled off somewhere for a C.T. scan, talked with two Physician’s assistants and several nurses, had her vital signs consistently monitored, and then – finally – after all the tests and scans were interpreted, we talked with the doctor about possible admission.

But, no, there was nothing definitive; no answers but no obvious acute issues either. Plus the hospital people thought that she would receive better care at home with me.

An original 2:00 doctor’s appointment, then finally home around 10:30.

Life = Opportunity!

I think what this tells me – or reminds me – more than anything is how fragile my mum is. And at the same time how tired I am!

The other thing, and this ties in a lot with the post I wrote yesterday (“Me rambling on….“), is how evident it is to me that life is supposed to be lived. And by “lived” I mean an active, purposeful engagement.

In many ways – and this is by no means a criticism, because my mum is 91 and has lost dad and I understand that is next to impossible to reinvent yourself after 74-years together – mum is not actively and purposefully engaging with much of anything.

My point in sharing this, other than the fact that this space is my daily journal, it to remind all of us (from the youngest reader to those who have many years of experience with living) that we have all been given this unique and privileged opportunity to live each and every day!

And I pray that we all live with passion and purpose and gratitude, and with an intentional joie de vivre. 

It is Thursday, another new day. What are we going to do about it? – DEREK